South Korea Set To Compensate Forced Labourers In Japan

South Korea on Monday announced a plan to compensate people who were forced to work under Japan's 1910-1945 occupation.

The proposal was welcomed in Japan but faced an immediate backlash from former forced labourers, their supporters and South Korea's main opposition party.

The complainers demand direct compensation from the Japanese companies and a fresh apology from the Japanese government.

Ties between South Korea and Japan have long been complicated over Japan’s brutal rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

This was when thousands of Koreans were mobilised as forced labourers for Japanese companies, or sex slaves.

Under the plan, South Korea would compensate former forced labourers through an existing public foundation funded by private-sector companies, Foreign Minister Park Jin said.

Park Jin added; "The soured South Korea-Japan relations should no longer be neglected, and we need to end the vicious cycle for the national interest, for the people."

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he welcomed the proposal and that his country would work closely with their counterpart.